Mohammed Jhangir

A landlord who rented out premises used as brothels – and enjoyed free sex with the girls as a perk – has failed to persuade top judges he was wrongfully jailed.

Mohammed Jhangir, 38, denied he had anything to do with running the two knocking shops in Berkhamsted and Hillingdon, which were home to hookers who came to the UK from Hungary.

A jury found that the girls at the brothels had not been trafficked and were working for profit of their own free will, but convicted Jhangir, of Chartridge Lane, Chesham, Bucks, of two brothel-keeping counts.

He was jailed for a year at St Albans Crown Court in October.

But on Thursday he asked Lord Justice Elias, Mr Justice Cranston and Mr Justice Nicol, sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, to overturn his convictions or at least suspend his sentence.

The court heard that Jhangir was the landlord of properties in Charles Street, Berkhamsted, and New Broadway, Hillingdon.

When police swooped on the brothels, he initially denied any involvement.

However, after cops uncovered evidence on his computer linking him to the prostitution business – as well as a photo of him “outside the premises with his Bentley and two women” – he was charged and convicted on the basis that he had “assisted with the management” of the sex workers.

His lawyers argued there was not enough evidence on which to convict him and that the judge should have ruled he had no case to answer.

It was submitted that the fact he enjoyed free sex with the girls did not mean he had a role in running the illegal business.

Throwing out the complaints, however, Mr Justice Cranston said Jhangir had helped manage the premises and knew what the business was.

“There was clearly a case to answer,” the judge said.

Also dismissing his appeal against sentence, the judge said that a year in jail was fair, despite the fact that Jhangir was a man of previous good character who had produced glowing character references.